Boo Weekley, 34, has become one of the PGA Tour's most popular and refreshing players with his simple country charm and style, and a philosophy that doesn't fit the stereotype of professional golfers. After winning the Verizon Heritage at Hilton Head Island, S.C., the week after the 2007 Masters Tournament, he was the first player to receive an automatic invitation to Augusta National under the reinstated qualification for tour winners. The native of East Milton, Fla., is sharing his thoughts and experiences of his Masters debut with The Augusta Chronicle in a daily diary.

Boo Weekley looks perplexed after putting on the ninth hole Tuesday. He says pace is the key to putting Augusta National's fast greens. (Annette M. Drowlette/Staff)

I heard no one has ever won the Par-3 tournament and the Masters in the same year. What would I do if I'm leading going to the last hole today? I'm still going to try to win it. At least I'll be able to say I won it.

My strategy for playing the (big) course is fairways, greens and putt and get out of there. That is the only strategy there is to the game. It doesn't matter if I'm teeing it up here or teeing it up at the house.

These greens are a little faster -- actually a lot faster. From tee to green, there ain't no difference. You've got to focus on hitting in your right spots and focus on the center of the green, if you can.

We played the front nine and as we walked off all the greens, we looked back at it and said, if we're not going to fire at the pin, if it's not a perfect number, let's just focus on hitting it right here on the center of the green, and we wrote it down.

I figure the less mistakes you make, the better chance you have to be playing on the weekend.

I worked with (instructor) Mike Taylor of Sea Island (Ga.) on Tuesday on my putting. We started working before I won at Hilton Head last year. I liked a lot of the ideas he had. He's kind of a feel putter.

When I feel like I'm out of whack (on the greens), I call him up and ask him if he can show up at a tournament. He's helped me out a lot.

The key to being successful on these greens is to have the right pace on the green. You've got to pick a pace and hope that's the right one. That's the whole goal. You don't want to get above the hole. You want to leave yourself the opportunity to make a good two-putt if it doesn't go in.

If my putter works, we should have a fun week.

I just got a pair of golf shoes with some camouflage on them and wore them for the first time Tuesday. There is camouflage on the sides and the back. The guy ordered them two or three weeks ago and he said they'd be here for the tournament and asked if I'd be interested in trying them, and I said, 'Yeah, I'll try them.'

I like them; they're all right. They're just a pair of shoes; a pair of kickers.